Electronic connector and method of making

Abstract

An electrical connector having an end face defined by a molded annulus skirt is provided with a circumferential stiffener which is molded in place at the time of molding of the skirt intermediate the inner and outer diameters of the skirt and adjacent the end face.

I claim as my invention:  
     
       1. A method of molding a circumferential stiffener into the skirt of an electrical connector body during formation of the skirt which comprises the steps of: 
       providing a mold cavity for molding of the connector body and skirt, Providing a head bar for closing an end of the mold cavity, providing a plurality of axially extending fingers projecting from the head bar into the cavity, supporting the stiffener on the fingers in the cavity, molding the electric connector body and skirt in the cavity while at least partially imbedding the stiffener into the skirt, and thereafter removing the molded connector body from the cavity and head bar.  
     
     
       2. A reinforced electrical connector comprising a connector part defining member having a molded flexible material body with an end face, an axial bore therein open to the end face defining an annular skirt extending from the end face to a bottom of the bore, a stiffener positioned within the skirt spaced from the end face, the stiffener being substantially continuously embedded within the skirt except at circumferentially spaced apart openings in the skirt open to a portion of the stiffener. 
     
     
       3. An electrical connector part comprising a molded body having a projecting skirt terminating in an open end, a stiffener molded into the skirt adjacent the end, the stiffener comprising a spring member. 
     
     
       4. The connector of  claim 3  wherein the stiffener is formed as a coil. 
     
     
       5. The connector of  claim 4  wherein the skirt open end forms an annulus and the coil is substantially circular. 
     
     
       6. A method of making an electrical connector part including a molded housing having an extending peripheral skirt terminating in an open end with a stiffener carried by the skirt, the improvement of forming the stiffener as a spring member and molding the stiffener into the skirt at the time of molding of the skirt. 
     
     
       7. A method of molding an electrical connector part having a stiffener member at least partially embedded in a skirt of the connector part which comprises the steps of providing a mold cavity, terminating an end of the mold cavity with a end closure having a central projecting boss extending into the mold cavity, the boss having an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of the mold cavity whereby a skirt will be formed between the outer diameter of the boss and the inner diameter of the mold cavity, providing a stiffener support on the end closure effective to support a stiffener in at least a part of the space between the outer and inner diameters of respectively the end closure boss and the mold cavity mounting a stiffener on the support and molding the skirt with the stiffener embedded therein. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  including providing a plurality of said supports circumferentially spaced from one another. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein the supports position the stiffener to be substantially entirely imbedded in the skirt except for circumferentially spaced skirt discontinuities located at the position of the supports. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein the supports are provided on an inside end face of the closure member.